


Strange Gift

by ShivaeSyke



Series: Metamorphosis [2]
Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-08-14 02:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20184409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShivaeSyke/pseuds/ShivaeSyke
Summary: Bog's father takes Bog on a little adventure to retrieve a gift for Griselda.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know if I'm going to keep this so making it a separate entry that can be added to the Metamorphosis series. It's out of sequence by a little and Monday's update because I felt like writing it immediately.
> 
> I adore Bog's father and wish I had given him a name, because it's awkward writing Bog's father over and over and over or The Bog King. So I fell into Bog King at points. I just want to write Bog interacting with his father as much as possible... because when he's gone, he's going to be gooooone.

Autumn brought brilliant color to the dark forest. The cooler weather plus longer nights were a welcome change. There was ample food and goblins stuffed themselves on meat and anything they could scavenge. Most of them waddled when they walked, much to Bog’s amusement. Everyone’s attention was focused on stocking their winter storehouses and preparing most of the goblin population for hibernating deep beneath the castle.

“Eat! Eat!” Griselda piled a plate full of scrambled eggs and sausages. She deposited it in front of Bog. “You’re much too thin!”

“I don’t think that’s going to change, Mother.” Bog gave her a halfhearted smile to give off the impression that all was well. It wasn’t but he went through the motions anyway. His heart was still twisted from what he had done at midsummer. It wasn’t going to mend anytime soon if ever.

“Eat up anyway, Lad.” Bog’s father was enthusiastically devouring a sausage. “Ye and I are goin’ out today on a lettle excursion.”

“Wh’where are we going?” Bog froze and stared at his father. Every now and then his father would leave on a trip by himself. On occasion Griselda would join him, but Bog had never been invited. He could be gone for a day or three, but he always returned with the most interesting things. He actually LEFT the dark forest. That had to be what they were going to do.

“Ye will find out soon.” The Bog King smiled in a way that made Bog nervous. It was one of those smiles where he knew something had been planned that was going to surprise him. Bog hated surprises.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Bog followed his father at a fast clip through the dark forest. His father was slower than he used to be, but he could still outfly Bog, even with tattered wings. The Bog King held his scepter as he flew and nothing else. He had instructed Bog that they might be gone several days but not to pack anything. Bog wasn’t sure what to think about this journey, other than his wings were beginning to ache from their speed and distance.

Then the Bog King spiraled down to the forest floor in an area that Bog had never seen before. The ground was covered with brightly colored leaves mixed in with the last flowers of fall. There was color everywhere and there was something strange in the air. It was like standing outside before a thunderstorm. It was alive with energy.

“This way.” The Bog King excitedly gestured with his staff toward what looked like the edge of the forest. Bog began to follow, then drew up sharply when he saw the tall structure in the distance. It was a house. A human house. Bog’s wings beat erratically at the sight. He had never seen a human and didn’t think he really wanted to.

“Come on, Bogdan.” His father turned back and encouraged him, holding out his hand. “Ye need to do this, because some day ye will have ta do it alone.”  
Bog kept his eyes on the house. Goblin law was set that you avoided humans and human things at all costs. Being this close sent tremors up Bog’s back. There was a reason for those laws. Yet, it was his father who had made those laws. Bog flew to his father, still watching the house.

The Bog King weaved around several trees allowing Bog to see a small well tended garden and a white picket fence that surrounded the back yard of the house. There were no humans in sight. Then his father went back into the trees and landed. Bog was immediately behind him, giving him questioning looks.  
“Look around ye, Bogdan. Ye must remember this place.”

Bog looked and was confused by what he saw. They were standing in a small clearing surrounded by mushrooms. “What is this place?”

“It’s a fairy circle.” Bog’s father waved his staff at the mushrooms surrounding them. "There is always one in this area."

“Fairy circle?” Bog made a face. What were they doing in a fairy circle or anything having to do with fairies.

“Fairy circles are a means of transportation, Bogdan.”

“How?” Bog looked at the mushrooms incredulously and a little hesitant. He felt like he wanted to fly out of it without knowledge of what was going to happen.

“Ye will see.” Bog’s father smiled that same smile from before. “Ye are going to fall on your face when ye leave the circle. Probably throw up too.”

“Father,” sighed Bog.

“Step out of it.” The Bog King began walking to the edge of the circle.

Bog made a frustrated sound and his wings rattled. STEP out of the circle? No. He was going to FLY! Bog leapt into the air beating his wings furiously. The moment he was clear of the circle Bog was overwhelmed with a wave of dizziness and he just felt heavy. Then he was face down in the dirt with sharp pains going through his entire body. Had the ground always been so hard?

Bog pushed himself up onto his knees and stared at the grass and dirt beneath him. It was all wrong. Everything was just wrong. His face hurt more than it should have and he could feel the sensation of warm blood dripping out of his nose. He took a deep breath and stared at the ground, willing his eyes to focus.

“Bogdan,” The Bog King stood over him, a shadow against the sun. “Get up. Ye should have listened ta me.”

Bog pushed himself up further and froze. What was that he was seeing beneath him? What had happened to his hands? Bog rolled onto his butt and just stared at his hands. They were soft and covered in white skin. They were HIS hands, but they were different. Everything was softer and everything was wrong. Bog felt for his nose and came away with smudges of blood on his fingertips, then he started looking at himself all over. He looked like a fairy! Except, he didn’t have wings. That was the most shocking part of all. WHERE were his wings?

“Bogdan,” his father repeated his name laying a hand on his shoulder.

Bog looked up and blinked. It was his father. He recognized his eyes and his facial features but everything had softened. His armored plating was gone as were his wings. “It’s just temporary until ye pass back through the fairy circle.” Bog glanced back to the edge of the circle, his eyes wide.  
“Good!” Bog turned and stumbled toward the circle on all fours. His limbs were not working like they should have. He was still tall, but not the same.  
“Oh no ye don’t!” Hands like iron closed around Bog’s shoulders and he was lifted away from the circle. “We have things ta do, Bogdan.”  
“I don’t like this!” Bog whined. This human form felt so unprotected and he was stuck in it! Why did his father need to be human for any reason and why did he?

“First, I have clothes fer ye and I.” Bog’s father kept a hand on Bog’s arm as he pulled the boy with him. As a 15 year old human, Bog was tall and gangly with short spiky black hair. His body was far more awkward than Bog felt it should be. He stumbled on bare feet that were tender to every step and hurt like he had never felt before. “Stop strugglin, Lad, it’s not that bad.”

Bog pinched the skin on the back of his hand, then on his arm and worked his way up his body. Everything was soft. He ran his hands through his hair and noted that he had hair in strange places. So much hair.

They walked a few feet to what looked like a huge white box. Bog’s father released him and reached down to move a rock and remove a key. He opened the door and walked inside, leaving Bog outside staring cautiously inside the trailer. It was packed full of things that Bog had never seen before.

The Bog King dressed quickly. Bog watched with more curiosity than annoyance. His father had obviously done this before. He knew what he was doing. Black pants, crisp blue button up shirt with a collar, black jacket with a bright blue piece of cloth in the breast pocket, then socks and really shiny black shoes. The Bog King slipped his staff, which had not grown in size but remained it’s normal size into a tiny hole on the left side of his jacket. He fastened it into place with something beneath the lapel so that the head of the staff just looked like a nice shiny ornament. Bog realized he was getting a little chilly when his father wrapped a strange looking blue strip of cloth around his neck and tied it in a practiced way.

“Here. Ye will have to learn to dress properly, but for this time, I got ye these.” The Bog King picked up a cardboard box and put it in Bog’s hands, then stepped aside indicating he should go in. Bog wordlessly stepped further into the trailer, looking around in wonder.

“Remember what I told ye about where I came from, Bogdan?” His father pulled an ornately carved chair out and sat down to talk while Bog tried to figure out what to do with the clothes in the box. “I learned a lot from my time listenin’ ta the humans. I learned that some times natural magic isn’t enough ta protect us. Some times ye have to go among humans and play by their rules. One of those rules is ownership and taxes.”

Bog tried to listen, but was struggling to figure out how properly maneuver a pair of tight fitting jeans on. Since he had watched his father, he had the general idea. “We, the King family, own the Dark Forest and the fairy kingdom and the land around it for miles.” Bog blinked at that little bit of information, finally getting the pants on. The zipper was an intriguing device and he played with it for a few moments. “This house is ours, but it is rented ta a lovely scottish lass who respects our boundaries.”

“Does the Fairy King know?”

The Bog King cracked a crooked toothy smile. “No. They do not. They have even more strict rules than we do and that fat king isn’t going to toddle anywhere out of his comfort zone. We, on the other hand, will do what we can ta protect our people. I might as well keep his protected as well. I don’t wish any harm ta those ridiculous fairies. Fer all their rules and preparations they are naive in the way the world really works.”

Bog worked out the black tshirt in the box easy enough. It was a little loose and had a bizarre picture on the front. Socks and a pair of chunky shoes were all that were left in the box. The socks were easy, even if they were even more confining, but it was the shoes that were really uncomfortable. They fit, but were a little stiff and snug.

“Tie the laces tight, Bog. They’ll slide up and down yer ankle and blister if ye don’t.” His father instructed quickly. “Father, just how long have ye been walking around as a human?”

The Bog King snorted, “How do ye think I got here? Our people come from a place called Scotland. This is a place called America. It’s easier to carry a whole life in a box when ye are human sized. Did ye ever wonder just how I brought all the old books with me?”

Bog stared at his father. It was something a simple goblin would never ask. They just accepted it. He had never thought about the vast library of books. It would have been impossible for his father to have carried them from where ever he came from.

“What are we doing here?” Bog stood and wobbled in his new shoes. It was bad enough getting used to a new body without also having to get used to the bizarre human trappings. The shoes were annoying and chunky. He preferred feeling the ground beneath his feet. No, he preferred NOT feeling the ground beneath his feet and flying, but his wings were gone and all was left was a periodic sensation in his back that twitched and tingled.

“Giving ye instructions, Lad, and introducin’ ye ta the important humans ye need ta know ta keep yer mum an ye safe.” Bog King rose to his feet, still tall and formidable looking even as a human. His hair was solid white and the scars that crossed his face looked even more severe in a human form. He had an eye patch over his missing right eye. Bog couldn’t imagine his father not being around. Even when he gave idle thoughts to what he would do when he was the Bog King, he didn’t want to hasten it actually happening. As much as Bog wanted to be treated like an adult he still relished the fact that he was protected by his father and mother. He didn’t have the same worries and responsibilities as his father. He didn’t look forward to taking on his mantle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's 'limited' adventure in the human world with a very short leash. Considering how Bog is, he prefers it this way at this point when encountering something new.

Bog followed his father down a well kept path made up of cobblestones to the house. He stayed a few steps behind his father dragging back another step here and there, then anxiously catching back up. He did not want to go to the house. He did not want to meet ANY humans. 

And then they were at the door and his father knocked. There was an immediate response as though someone had been waiting on him. A portly elderly woman with white hair answered the door with a jovial greeting, “Bog King! On time as always!”

“Aye, Madeline. I have things to do.” Bog watched as his father greeted back with a kiss on the lady’s cheek. It was absolutely shocking to Bog and his jaw dropped slightly. Then his father stepped aside, “Madeline, this is my son, Bogdan. Bog, this is Madeline. She’s the caretaker.”

Bog froze, staring up the steps at the lady on the porch. The human lady with the huge friendly smile and bright green eyes who was now looking at him expectantly. Was he supposed to do what his father had done? He wasn’t going to. He was going to remain standing at the foot of the steps and not go anywhere near her.

“Teenagers.” His father grunted and smiled back at Madeline.

“Oh, I’m sure he’s a good boy!” She laughed it off casting Bog another smile that made him squirm with the desire to run back to the woods. The absolute NO look his father was giving him made him stay.

“Is Clara ready fer our errands?” Bog King inquired politely.

“She’s running a little late, but she will be here shortly. Why don’t you two come in for tea and cookies?”

“Don’t mind if we do.”

Bog forced himself up the steps as his father beckoned him to join them in the house. This was torture. It was so overwhelming that Bog could barely think. He had a lot of thoughts, but they were running into each other and he was on the verge of shutting down. 

He found himself on a comfortable, overly colorful couch covered in flowers and delicate lace doilies. The whole house was covered in flowers and color. Bog was afraid to touch anything until his father shoved a cup of tea into his hand along with a cookie. Bog stared at the drink and food, thankful for something to focus his eyes on other than the expectant human lady who began chattering on in idle conversation with his father. He wanted to pay attention to the conversation, but his head was full of bees. So he took a sip of the tea, which was ice cold and had some sort of yellow fruit in it and every so sweet, then he had a bite of the cookie. He lost himself in the flavors and soon had helped himself to several more cookies, eating them in silence and washing them down with sweet tea.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” A woman’s voice called out as the front door creaked open and slammed shut. “Is he here? I have the car ready to go!” The voice grew louder as a young blonde dressed all in pink rushed into the living room. She skidded to a stop seeing Bog and his father. “I’m so sorry Mr. King!” She apologized profusely, then stepped aside. “I’m ready to go. We won’t be late if we leave now!”

“It’s okay, Clara.” Bog’s father rose to his feet and gestured to Bog to follow him. “This is my son, Bogdan. He will be accompanying us today.” Marie’s face blanched as she focused on Bog. That was not a look he expected.

“I uh, sir, my daughter is off from school today and she’s with me.” Clara looked worriedly at Bog King. 

“That’s fine. Let’s go.” Bog’s father didn’t seem the least bit upset about it. “Maybe Bog can make a new friend.” Now it was Bog’s turn to turn even whiter than he currently was, if that was possible. He felt the blood drain from his face. It was bad enough he had to talk to humans but now he was going to have to talk to a human child? Or worse. Someone his own age?

“Well, at least it’ll get her nose out of a book.” Clara sighed, reached over to hug Madeline and darted back through the door.

Bog was not so sure about this whole ‘car’ thing. His father almost had to push him inside the strange boxy contraption. Bog looked around nervously, exactly like someone who had NEVER been in a car. He would never have entered it without his father and even with his father every instinct made him want to get out. 

“Bogdan.” His father hissed at him and gave him a look that made him sink into the seat near the window. His father sat on the other side. The seats were comfortable and there was ample leg room.

“Hi Mr. King!” A cheery voice called from the front seat. Bog looked up to see the tanned face of a teenaged girl with kinked red hair that was flowing absolutely everywhere. She turned her attention to bog and smiled. “Hi, uhh….”

“Bog. His name is Bog.” Bog’s father supplied the answer. Bog looked aside, not wanting to acknowledge the girl. “Bog, this is Marie.”

“Really? Your name is Bog?”

“Bogdan.” Bog grumbled. “Ye may call me, Bog.”

“Oh, that accent is so cute!”

Bog wished he could melt into the seat. This human girl was way too cheerful and he wanted nothing to do with her, but since they were near the same age, he just knew that he was going to be expected to talk to her. Bog shot a dirty look at his father who smiled back at him.

Bog jumped when the car started and got a swift kick on the leg before he could attempt to claw his way out of the window. “Ow!” He cast another dirty look at his father.  
“Something wrong?” Clara glanced back.

“Nothing at all. Let’s get on our way.” 

Bog sank back into the seat and sulked. He didn’t like the way the car moved. Or maybe it was just that he still felt trapped. 

The trip to the local town was short. Bog didn’t catch the name nor did he care to. He continued to sulk as they made stop after stop. His father explained what each stop was and what purpose it served. Bog was upset, but he paid attention and tried to be civil. He refused to say a word unless he was spoken to.

Then, they left the town. Bog couldn’t help but look out the window and watch the scenery change. The car was full of soft music that he had never heard of and after awhile he got used to the movement and couldn’t hold his curiosity about the outside world back. The town itself was different than an elf town. There was so much to see. The humans he saw were all so strange, going about their business without knowing they had royalty in their midst.

Everyone treated his father with the utmost respect, but it wasn’t the same as home. While his father was typically nice to everyone, it was the way that everyone spoke to each other that said they were equals and not deferring to him. They were not as simple as goblins tended to be. 

There were vast fields outside the town with animals Bog had never seen before. He wished he could ask his father what they were. There was another town and more fields, then Bog drifted off to sleep.

Bog awoke to his father gently shaking his shoulder. “We’re stoppin’ for lunch, Bog. We need ta get out of the car. Ye’ll like this.” Bog yawned and reluctantly followed his father, getting out on his side since he couldn’t figure out how to open his own door.

It was past noon and Bog blinked in the bright sunlight. They were in a place that was far bigger than a town. Buildings rose to the sky all around them and there were people everywhere. Bog followed his father closely into a building that said, Smokin’ BBQ on the sign outside. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but it smelled absolutely divine and he was hungry.

Bog began to loosen up once he had filled himself with some of the most delicious food he had ever had. Brisket and hot sausages with potato salad, macaroni and cheese, honey butter and biscuits. It was topped off with his father insisting he have peach cobbler and something called vanilla ice cream. And for the first time in a long time, he had a genuine smile on his face.

Bog’s father and Clara chatted freely. Bog sat silently across from Marie, not offering any conversation. She was working on her dessert with a massive book in one hand. Bog was a little curious about the book. Something about a Stone and a boy on a broomstick but he didn’t ask. 

“We have another hour on the road, Bog. Then we’ll head back ta home. We’re not spendin’ the night out.” Bog’s father got up from the table and laid a hand on Bog’s shoulder. Bog had questions. So many questions. He said nothing and rose to his feet. “Let’s go clean up. Don’t need ye havin’ sticky fingers in the car.”

Bog followed his father to the rest room and whispered curiously, “Do Clara and Marie know where we come from? Does Madeline?”

Bog’s father nodded slowly in response. “Only Madeline. We have an arrangement.”

“Why?” Bog whispered curiously.

“This isn’t a place ta discuss such things, Bog. I will explain further when we get home.”

“Where are we going?”

“Ta pick up a gift for yer mum.”

“What is it?”

“Ye’ll see. It’s a fairy thing that not even the fairies have.” His father wiped his hands dry on a paper towel and offered one to Bog. “She’ll love it.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gift is picked up and there's one for Bog too!

The ride through the city took another half hour. Bog was able to stay awake for most of it, fully captivated by all the sights. Then he fell asleep. When he woke another hour had passed and they were in farmland again. 

“It’s just a few minutes away now.” Clara announced from the driver’s seat.

“I can’t wait!” Marie giggled and squirmed in her seat. She turned around and looked directly at Bog. “How can sit there like that when you’re getting a puppy?”

“A what?” Bog stared at the girl, completely confused.

“That was a surprise.” His father sighed. “More for his mother than him though.”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to ruin it!” Marie clapped her hands over her mouth and glanced at her mother.

“It’s ok, Marie. Nobody told you not to say anything.” Clara turned down a road while Bog stared at his father. What need would a goblin have of a dog?

“It’s a very special puppy, Bog. I had to do a lot of research to find the right one.” Bog continued staring. He had never seen a dog, but he had heard of them. They were really big and could be used as mounts and warriors just like what they did with bats and owls, but a dog? It was a completely different type of animal. Was it going to live in the castle? What would the goblins think? Bog had a million questions and couldn’t ask a single one.

The car pulled up to a nice little brick house with a long driveway. There was a woman standing outside waiting for them with a bunch of small furry animals milling around her feet. Were those dogs? Bog peered out the window at them in fascination. They had four legs and long tails. The creatures were milling around the lady’s legs rubbing their heads against her and arcing their backs. They were a multitude of colors.

“Bog.” His father reached over him and opened the door on his side. “Get out.” Bog stumbled out of the car holding onto the door. He stood for a moment, then closed it. He watched Clara, Marie and his father walk ahead.

“Kittens! Oh they’re so cute!” Marie called out as she ran to get there first. The large mass of furry things turned and most of them ran toward her with their tails in the air making a loud mewing noise. Bog followed warily. Cats. Now he KNEW about cats and had seen them.

The thing about cats is that they were one of a goblin’s worst fears. There were horror stories of the things lurking in the forest. They were the stuff of a goblin child’s nightmare and now Bog was walking up to a whole pack of them. It didn’t matter that he towered over them, that fear had already locked in. 

“Good afternoon!” The woman greeted Clara and Bog’s father happily. “Come inside to see the puppies. I thought you would want to see his brothers and sisters too.”

“Aye. Come along, Bog.” His father turned and gestured for Bog to follow, but was stuck with Marie and the kittens in between him and his father. “Bog. They aren’t going ta hurt ye.”

Bog looked at the kittens suspiciously and made a wide arc around them. Marie looked up and laughed at him. “Are you seriously afraid of kittens?”

“No!” Bog snapped. He ran to join his father, not seeing one of the kittens automatically chase after him. They went inside and that one kitten slipped through the door and trailed behind Bog.

They walked into the living room to see a gate and half a dozen very fat puppies that didn’t appear to have legs. Most of them were tan and white. A few were black, white and tan. They were bouncing around eager to greet the new people.

“The one with the orange ribbon is yours.” The lady motioned to a fat tri color puppy with the ribbon on. It was bouncing around the gate with the others. Now Bog could see they had legs, they were just really short and stumpy. It had huge ears that stood upright. It was too cute to be going where it was going.

Bog’s father reached down into the mass of puppies and lifted out the one they were taking. It barked and licked his hand bringing a smile to his face. He held it up and looked at it, rolling it around in his hands. The puppy wriggled but didn’t fight the movement.

Bog saw his father stealthily slip his staff out of the button hole and hold it up to his eye as he looked at the puppy, then he put it back.

“This one is fine. We need to sign paperwork?” Bog’s father turned and held the puppy out to Bog. He stared at it for a moment, then tentatively accepted it. Bog had no idea what to do with it as his father walked off talking to the lady. 

After a moment of holding the puppy like it was a detestable thing, Bog held it in front of him to get a good look at it. What WAS this? It didn’t even look like a whole dog. It was a loaf.

Then he felt the claws on his legs. Bog glanced down into the bright orange eyes of a solid black ball of fuzz that was halfway up his leg. “Shoo. Go away!” He tried to wiggle his leg to get it off of him. He kept both hands on the puppy who was now looking at the kitten. The kitten was not to be deterred and swung around to quickly climb up Bog’s backside. It ended up on his shoulder making a loud rumbling noise in his ear. Bog froze. It was rubbing its head on his cheek and perched over his shoulder now. The puppy barked happily at it.

What should he do? The kitten continued making that weird, oddly comforting noise and then slid down Bog’s shoulder, rubbing its head against his chest. Bog had no choice but to relax as it curled up on his arm and laid there. Now he was stuck holding a puppy in his hands and a cat on his arm. Being big was kind of amazing even if he had no idea what to do. The notion that this fierce little predator had chosen to do this made him feel a little special and he didn’t want to try to dump it on the floor now. It was just laying there.

A few minutes later Bog’s father returned and made a strange amused face at Bog’s predicament. He took the puppy from his hands and motioned to the cat. “That coming too, Bog?”

Bog tentatively curled his arm around the kitten and touched it’s head with his now free hand. It was incredibly soft and latched to his arm.

“Kittens are free.” The puppy lady grinned. “That’s a girl. She likes you.”

Bog stared at his father helplessly. He was afraid to try to pry it off his arm. He could feel the razor sharp pin pricks on his skin. What he wouldn’t give for armor right now. “Bog?” Bog stared at his father. What was he supposed to say? “Do ye want the kitten?” Did he just hear his father right? Cats were dangerous. They were frightening. 

“Can I?” Bog nodded carefully, petting the tiny animal. It was tiny now, but it would make a most impressive mount when it was grown and he was sure his father could tame it with the staff for their use.

“I hadn’t planned on it, but aye.” His father smiled reaching out a hand to rub the kittens ears. It responded with a rumbling meow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this is kinda why I'm not sure if I'm keeping it with the main story or just as an extra unrelated story. It got stuck in my mind that Bog's father would know about Pembroke Welsh Corgis and would seek out a 'fairy quality' puppy as a gift and mount for his wife. Something that would be a show of his love for her and also to have it seen on occasion by the fairies to invoke some jealousy. :D Now, my special 'fairy' corgis have some special abilities.
> 
> The kitten? :D OH I planned on giving Bog a cat at some point since they already have owls and bats. Owls scare fairies. Cats scare everything because they have a magic all their own.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion of The Bog King's gift to his wife.

Bog couldn’t help but smile as he played with kitten on his lap. She rolled around and bounced after his fingers, biting and pawing at them. Occasionally her fur would stand on end and she would wiggle her butt and pounce. It was a strange thing to be around an animal that was smaller than he was and completely fearless. Bog had been around a large number of the animals the goblins raised for protection and transportation. Dragonflies, owls and bats, but dragonflies were anything but cuddly. Owls were massive compared to a goblin even as owlets. Bats were smaller but were always with their mothers when young.

The kitten was an entirely new experience. Marie played with the puppy in the front seat for a little while, then eventually both ended up back with Bog. They fell asleep on him and his father let them. Their trip home didn’t have any long stops due to the animals. There were quick ones to make sure nobody had an accident in the car.

It was dusk when the car trip finally came to an end. Bog stumbled out of the car and almost fell. His legs had fallen asleep. He was holding the kitten in his arms and being as careful as he could not to drop it or fall. His father got out of the car and handed the squirming puppy to Bog. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I need to have a word with Madeline. These two are comin’ back with us tonight, but they will be stayin’ with Madeline when they are bigger. Yer kitten is going to terrify everyone.” Bog’s father chuckled in amusement. He turned and headed into the cottage.

Clara and Marie got out and stretched. It had been a long day for the two of them. “It was nice to meet you, Bogdan.” Clara smiled at him. Bog silently nodded. He was still uncomfortable with talking to humans.

“Hope to see you again, Boggy!” Marie bounced up to Bog and before he could protest threw her arms around him and gave him a friendly hug. She let go quickly and ran her fingers across the puppy’s head and then the kittens. Both of which were squirming now. “So cute.” She giggled and waved at Bog to follow her mother into the cottage. Bog could feel his face burning at the gesture. No stranger had ever hugged him before. It was an odd feeling for him and not one that he didn’t like.

“Bog.” His father appeared walking quickly. “We need ta go before it gets too dark.” He was already beginning to undress. “Yer gonna learn somethin’ tonight.” His father walked by him heading into the woods and the small trailer.

Bog followed casting one final glance at Marie and Clara.  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
Bog was relieved to rid himself of the human clothes. They had been stiff, itchy and confining. He was carrying the kitten while wondering exactly what they were doing to do with it. His father joined him carrying the puppy. 

“First, ye and I are goin’ through the fairy circle. Just step inside and out and ye’ll be back to yer true self.”

“Uh, won’t the kitten try to eat us when we’re our normal size?” Bog petted the black fur ball worriedly.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Bog’s father shrugged with a grin. “Cats are strange creatures. Despite the stories they tend to see us as somethin’ to toy with, not to eat. They see past our veils, Bog. If they want ta, they can enter our lands but they don’t. Now. Put her down.”

Bog nodded and patted the kitten on the head then scratched under her chin, which he had figured out quickly she liked. “Don’t eat me.” He whispered before turning around and stepping into the circle. He stood for a moment and stepped out, immediately overcome by the same dizzy sensation he had felt the first time he had entered and left the circle. Bog stumbled out of the circle and fell in front of the kitten. 

For a moment, Bog worried the kitten was going to do something, but she just looked at him and purred. A moment later Bog’s father was standing beside him a hand on his shoulder to steady him. “Good. Good.” The puppy walked over beside the kitten and both animals looked curiously down at Bog and his father.

“Take this. Ye are going to learn how to uplift an animal.” Bog’s father planted his staff immediately in front of Bog, holding it for him to take it. Bog glanced at his father, then slowly wrapped his hands around the staff. He had rarely touched it. “Hold the staff in front of the cat. All ye have to do is look through the center stone and ask her to serve ye. Ye don’t have to ask aloud. Ye know it works when their pupils dilate. It is a choice.”

Bog nodded nervously doing as he was instructed. He took a breath and stood before the kitten with the staff held firmly in his hands. Then he looked through the center stone. A strange sensation of warmth and power flowed through Bog as he made his silent request. 

The cat’s pupils immediately dilated and she purred loud in response. Then she laid down in front of him and flopped onto her side. Bog breathed a sigh of relief.

“Easy.” Bog’s father took the staff from him. “If it did not work, the animal will be temporarily paralyzed. Like the fox. It can be used as a weapon against an unwillin’ animal.” The Bog King turned to the dog and held the staff in between them. The puppy tilted his head curiously. Bog watched as his eyes dilated just like the cats and it dropped to its belly and made a playful growling noise.

Then the puppy shrank.

Bog stared while his father laughed at the look on his face. “I told ye, it’s a fairy dog!” The dog bounced up to them and ran around their feet, now a proportionate size. “A fairy dog IS a fairy circle. It can pass from our world to the human world on its own and take anyone touching it with them. We won’t need the fairy circle in the future.” Bog’s father scooped up the dog in his gnarled hand and handed him and his staff to Bog. 

The puppy began licking Bog’s hand making him laugh. This thing was way too cute. His mother was going to love it. She had a weakness for cute things. Then he stopped laughing. It was really small and he wasn’t sure how the other goblins would react to it. They might try to eat it.

“Goblins will leave him alone, Bog.” His father smirked reading his mind by the look on his face. “He can take care of himself even as a puppy.” With that, the Bog King turned and stepped back into the circle. Seeing him change back into a towering human, even if he was his father, sent Bog back winging in panic.

“Bog, on my shoulder with the dog.” His father knelt to pick the kitten up. “I’m goin’ to walk ye closer to the castle, walk back to the fairy circle, pass through then fly back to ye. Ye will wait for me.”

“Why couldn’t you use the dog?” Bog yelled as he landed near his father’s ear. Bog’s father laughed and it rumbled low and deep, almost unbearably so. Bog didn’t know that he was laughing because his son’s voice came out as a barely audible squeaking sound.

“He’s a puppy. He can only cross over by himself for now.” The Bog King whispered and began walking.

The walk to get closer to the castle was so incredibly fast. Faster than Bog could fly. They were deposited within sight of it then his father left to pass through the fairy circle again.  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
Goblins ran screaming in terror when Bog and his father entered the castle through the skull. They couldn’t help it. The sight of the kitten terrified them. They scurried in all directions and the Bog King laughed. The kitten watched curiously, but obediently remained behind Bog and his father. 

“What is going on?!” Griselda came running down the stairs to investigate the source of the chaos. She froze seeing the cat looming over her husband son. “What is GOING ON?!” She repeated glaring at her husband. “What is THAT doing in here?”  
“New mount for Bog.” The Bog King was all smiles as he walked to his wife. He had his hands folded over the squirming puppy so she couldn’t see it.

“Okaaaay.” She began waving her arms as she descended the stairs. “What is it doing in here!! It’s scaring everyone! It’s a CAT!”  
“You have to bond with your mount, Dear Love.” The Bog King leaned down and kissed his irate wife on the forehead. 

“Don’t you try to be all sweet to me! That thing can’t stay here!” She continued to scold her husband giving him dirty looks. The puppy made a little muffled barking sound immediately catching Griselda’s attention. “What-what do you have?”

“A gift for my love.” The Bog King knelt and opened his hands to present the small puppy to his wife. “A fairy dog worthy of a Queen.”

Griselda was speechless. For a moment, she just stared as the small animal wriggled in her husband’s hands. She had never personally had a pet or mount. She spent most of her time in the castle. 

“Cadeyrn.” Griselda whispered gathering the squirming bundle in her hands and squeezing him close to her chest. “You shouldn’t have.” Bog watched silently as tears began flowing from his mother’s eyes. He had rarely seen her cry. She was such a strong woman. She held the puppy up to her cheek and it licked away her tears.

The Bog King smiled approvingly, “Aye, I hope he will comfort you in times of need. What are ye going to name him?”

"Duncan.” Griselda grinned. She cuddled the puppy close to her and Bog smiled. He loved seeing his parents like this.  
=-=-=-=-=-=  
That night a weary Bog ended up crammed in his room sleeping on a very soft and warm black kitten. She would only be able to stay for a short time then would go and live in the cottage with Madeline. For now, Bog would be spending time training her. It was a welcome distraction from how things currently were. He often worried about his father.

Bog named his kitten Ciara and went to sleep dreaming about the battles they might someday share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was uncertain about this portion but decided that yes, this is part of Metamorphosis as a side story and will remain. The motivation is good. The Bog King knows he's going to die soon and knows his son is young. He wants to make sure his wife is protected and Bog has one less thing to worry about. Fairy Dogs have special abilities.
> 
> I had to figure out where the cat and the dog would be staying for future reference. The cat remains at the cottage. She's old now and has had litters of kittens that protect the eastern border of the dark forest. I always had it in mind that a Fairy Dog as a travel companion should be able to pass from one world to another with ease and thus would be a nice portable size.
> 
> By the timeline I'm working on, Duncan has sadly passed away at some point. Corgis, while being a healthy breed do not have long lifespans. My own corgi, Vash, passed away in one day unexpected just short of 13 years so writing this story made me incredibly sad by the time I got to the end. I may never be able to get another one.
> 
> The moment I hit The Bog King, Cadeyrn, gifting his Queen with a gift worthy of a fairy Queen I was sold on it. My current thoughts on the future is that wow, Bog is really NOT nice to his mother as he gets older. He loves her, but he ignores her, but she still has that last gift from her husband. At some point, I think Bog should grow up a little and stop being a selfish brat and realize the things he has done to his incredibly devoted somewhat annoying mother.
> 
> Now... am I going to have Fairy Dogs brought in the future to be raised by the fairies as a gift from Bog to HIS queen. They could use some cooler mounts than squirrels and rabbits. :D

**Author's Note:**

> As I wrote this, I realized many, many implications of the fact that Bog's Father likely lived as a human for a LONG period of time before finding the right place to call home. At this point, I think I'll leave those to your imagination, because it would really upset Bog.


End file.
